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As election fever mounted, candidates for South Korea's parliamentary elections - the first to be held since President Rhee's regime collapsed last April - held meetings in Seoul, the capital, July 9-10.

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As election fever mounted, candidates for South Korea's parliamentary elections - the first to be held since President Rhee's regime collapsed last April - held meetings in Seoul, the capital, July 9-10.

Former ministers of Rhee's Liberal administration now standing as Independents include Kim Hyun Chol (Finance) and Cho Chun Hwang (Foreign) Crowds have greeted them with hostility; at a meeting in Kyu-dong Primary School, Chol was told - "We don't want to hear you. Bring back the money you stole when you were Finance Minister."
A far more friendly reception was given Dr. John Chang, former Vice-President and leader of the Democratic party - main opposition to Syngman Rhee for 12 years. He is considered the most likely candidate for Premier when the National Assembly meets to elect President and Premier in August. His party probably numbers only 40,000 throughout the country, but is the only real alternative to Rhee's discredited followers; it has 285 candidates in the field, against 995 independents-including 80 ex-Liberals - and 445 candidates representing small parties. The July 29 elections - in which 11 1/2 million people will vote-provide 233 members for the Lower and 58 for the Upper House.